News

Patrick Ridgwell and family

Ridgwell, 62, joined food group Napier Brown in 1964 and six years later his family took over the business, best known for Whitworth sugars. In 2004, West Yorkshire-based Napier Brown floated on the stock market, netting the Ridgwells about £20m. The following year it was sold outright to rival Real Good Food. Nearly half the £68m price went to the family in Real Good shares. Months previously Ridgwell netted £26m by selling Solway, a sandwich and sushi business, to Northern Foods.